http://www.thekitchn.com/feedburnermain

Heidi Swanson — Queen of California Cool Cooking, Patron Saint of Vegetables — can truly do no wrong in my book. She has a magical knack for taking everyday ingredients and transforming them into beautiful, revelatory dishes. Her kitchen is always stocked with those seemingly simple but low-key-brilliant finishing touches that give her recipes their signature Heidi-ness, like saffron-garlic butter or a toasted nut and seed sprinkle with crushed coriander, almonds, sesame seeds, and oregano.

But my favorite 101 Cookbooks recipe of all time is not the artfully styled granola bowl or the vibrant rainbow cauliflower rice. My favorite dish leans a little more … brown. It’s not the most eye-catching or attractive recipe on the block, but it perfectly embodies Heidi’s expert marriage of healthfulness, comfort, and that little something extra. Can you guess what it is?

READ MORE »

http://www.thekitchn.com/feedburnermain

Holiday shopping does not have to be stressful. Scratch that — stocking stuffer shopping does not have to be stressful! These low-stakes gifts can be funky, quirky, silly, and, best of all, cheap. They come in all shapes and sizes (see below for proof). The number-one rule of stocking stuffers is that there are NO rules. As long as whatever stuffer you choose fits in a giant sock that you hang on the mantel, you’re good to go!

Here are our picks for the best, handmade, wallet-friendly stocking stuffers from a few of our favorite Etsy craftspeople.

READ MORE »

http://www.thekitchn.com/feedburnermain

It’s several days after Thanksgiving, and I’m still very much in holiday eating mode. We ate leftovers for every meal on Friday, switched it up with tacos on Saturday, and ordered pizza on Sunday because we still didn’t feel like cooking. The next few days for lunch will probably be more leftovers, because I can’t see beyond the mountain of plastic-wrapped mashed potatoes and stuffing in the fridge to even try and dig for a fresh vegetable.

When I do break free and get back to some type of normalcy, I know exactly what I’ll be eating to help me reset. This vegetarian cauliflower rice bowl is packed with all my favorite healthy foods, and it’s the perfect meal to enjoy throughout December.

READ MORE »

http://www.thekitchn.com/feedburnermain

A funny thing happened the last time I was using my dishwasher: I noticed that there’s a compartment for rinse aid. Of course, it’s been there all along, but I’ve never paid it any mind. And I’ve definitely never used it before. So, I wondered: What exactly is rinse aid, and should I be using it? Could my dishes be getting cleaner? Could they be rinsing more completely?

To answer all my rinsing-related questions, I reached out to Brian Sansoni, vice president of communications and outreach at the American Cleaning Institute.

Here’s what I found out.

READ MORE »

http://www.thealternativedaily.com/

Winter weather can be tough on skin and hair. A decrease in humidity, wind, snow and cold temperatures can leave your hair lifeless and your skin starving for moisture. Sure, you can lather on creams and conditioners but what you really want to do is to feed your skin and your hair with a high […]

http://www.thekitchn.com/feedburnermain

Butternut squash mac and cheese isn’t just a recipe for sneaking more vegetables into your diet. Adding butternut squash to your mac and cheese also gives it a gorgeous golden hue, makes for an extra-silky sauce, and adds a sweeter, earthier taste to the classic.

We think butternut squash mac and cheese should be your go-to seasonal comfort food, just as welcome on a Wednesday night as it is at your holiday table. Here is the easiest way to get from cubed squash to deluxe mac and cheese at home.

READ MORE »

http://www.thekitchn.com/feedburnermain

Don’t be embarrassed. You can admit it: You’ve indulged in a little drunk online shopping. I know I have. The perfect time to shop is actually after a couple cocktails. Your inhibitions are lower, and it’s easier to convince yourself that you deserve the expensive appliance you’ve had your eye on for months. Plus, you can find anything your heart desires from the comfort of your couch, now that the internet is just one big shopping mall. A recent survey, however, claims that there are some drinkers who are prone to spending more money online shopping than others.

READ MORE »

http://www.thekitchn.com/feedburnermain

Costco is a reliable go-to for just about everything in life, including fabulous things like Wagyu beef, diamonds, and caviar. In fact, for a little while now Costco has been stocking serrano ham (prosciutto’s Spanish cousin), and based on how quickly it flies off the shelf, it would be the jewel of any holiday table.

READ MORE »

http://www.thekitchn.com/feedburnermain

Do you have a bonus fridge or freezer? My family was just gifted a standing freezer for our garage, and I have daydreams of it stacked with organized bins of grab-and-go breakfasts, homemade ice cream, and prepared slow cooker meals.

I’m starting to fill it with casseroles that I can prep on Sunday afternoon and that can be halved — one portion being eaten that evening and the other frozen for future eating. After a few short weeks I’ll have a stash of casseroles that can save me on busy weeknights. Here are 10 casseroles that I’m starting with — all of them freeze well and can be easily split for eating now and on a busy weeknight.

READ MORE »

http://www.thekitchn.com/feedburnermain

It’s easy to swoon over beautiful-yet-pricey kitchen tools, like pretty colored stand mixers, Vitamix blenders, and Dutch ovens. But, when it comes to the essential, can’t-live-without kitchen tools that we use day in and day out, all of our go-tos are actually totally budget-friendly.

All of these tools are seriously useful, and come in handy on a daily basis. And, best of all, they don’t cost hundreds of dollars, but tens of dollars — or in some case, just a few.

Here are 10 essential (and inexpensive) kitchen gadgets that every last one of us need. I seriously don’t recommend cooking without these things on hand.

READ MORE »